Advice needed on this car

[Mk3-GTi]

 I am looking to buy a MK3 2.0 8V GTi

It's completely standard with FF Air Con.
57k Miles
FVWSH


This is the second one I have driven today and this one is the better of the two by a mile. Feels so much more responsive than the first. Also, the seats feel like they are new.
He wants £3999 for it, it does seem to be too high, so will get this down a bit, but how is the price?

There are a couple of minor things with it which I am not sure about because I am new to Golfs.
The clutch seems heavy - What does this mean?
Also, the is a slight tapping sound, I could hear this the most when driving at 30 in 3rd and take my foot of the accelerator and softly touch it again.

TIA

[monkeyalan]

what year is it? I recently bough an N 95 mk3 with 55k and FVWSH for £2800. tbh £4k seems a bit much.  Don't rush into it. Mk3's are fairly easy to find in v good nick as they're not so popular with modders( except on here).

[Mk3-GTi]

Sorry, forgot that

Its a '97 R

I have been looking for cheaper ones, but they all have high miles. I am slowly running out of time with my car

[monkeyalan]

know how you feel. It took me about a month of daily auto trader visits to find mine. what car says £3500 private and £3800 trade for an  R  with 57k so if you can knock him down a bit and your happy ,go for it. I felt I'd paid a bit much for mine but didn't really care cos i wanted it. same colour btw (best one!)

[monkeyalan]

forgot to say, that tapping might be the heat shield on the exhaust, a common problem, no biggie. mine does it at 1900 -2100 rpm

[Mk3-GTi]

I am looking now again and I still can't find one that close on spec and miles for the money.

I hope to knock him down a bit more, he has offered me a good price for my part ex, I will aim to get the car for £3600 in total.

I had read about the heatsheild problem, I don't think its that, but I don't know 

Also, just remembered another thing. My wife, who was standing outside the car when I went for a test drive, said it made a whining noise as I pulled away. I did not hear it then, but I heard it once briefly later on (while pulling away).

[charri42]

The clutch on my GTi was heavy too - i don't believe there was an inherent problem, it just made it unpleasant to drive. ON other mk3's it has been light, so i don't think they're supposed to be like this

I'd go down the 'major haggle' route. It took me ages to sell my N Mystic blue, 72k FSH mint car for £2400. I only had 1 call, so he may have the same problem. The problem is that you can pick up Mk 4 20v's for 3.5k now. We bought a 99t mk4  gti with 79k FVWSH for £3500- OK its red and doesn't have aircon, but its a much better car than the mk3 - imo of course!

If you're concerned about the noises, walk away, there's plenty of others around and its a buyers market. Of course its difficult to comment on 'noises' without being there, they may be completely harmless

[Mk3-GTi]

I will have to make sure I have my haggle hat on the day I go and see him 

If you're concerned about the noises, walk away, there's plenty of others around and its a buyers market. Of course its difficult to comment on 'noises' without being there, they may be completely harmless

Thats a good point, but now I have found the car I want it's hard to walk away

[charri42]

Just go with the usual  'I'm toying between yours and another car I've seen' -if you can match £xxx we have a deal... if you go in too low and he says no way - you can always swallow your pride and increase...
When I was struggling to sell mine, I'd have ripped anyones arm off if they'd offered me £2k - as it happened the first (and only) guy who called gave me full price with no haggle and he didn't even want to drive it or start the engine!!!

It may be useful info, the Glass's mid trade for this car is £1930 - which is what he will have paid for it - is £2k a realistic margin? OK he'll have to MOT it, stand by it if there is major mechanical failure, valet it, poss throw in a cheap warranty - but 100% mark up??

Also check its had a cambelt done

[Mk3-GTi]

Thanks for the Glass' price 

I am going to go and offer less then. I am happy to swallow my pride if it means I get a good price. I am thinking of £2500 + mine, he has offered me £600 for it. I really can't see he going for anything less than that.

When is the cambelt due on these? I have forgotten to search for that! I have had one snap on me before and I don't want that to happen again!